Wheel construction



Jpn. l0, 1939. y c. wjslNcLAlR `WHEEL CONSTRUCTION Filed nec. 1e, 1935 NVENTOR CHARLES W-SINCLAIR ATTORNEYS W 22 FlG/fe.

the boitingen Patented Jan. 10, 1939 charles WQ Sinclair, Detroit,

Mich., assigner to Kelsey-Hayes Wheel Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware i Application December 16, 1935,Serial No. 54,743

2 Claims.

The invention relates to wheel constructions, and refers more particularly to wheel construc-l tions for use with motor vehiclesjof that type having demountablewheel bodies.

The invention has for one object to providean improved wheel construction having a hub with axially and radially spacedseats and a wheel body mounted on the hub seats with its median plane of rotation near the zone ofthe seats. The invention has for another object to provide a wheel construction in which the wheel bodyhas a bolting-on flange which is axially oicset from anend of the naveportion and which ismounted on the hub in a manner to relieve the part ofthe bolting-on flange engagedby the `means for securing the wheel body tothe hub of the greater part of the radial wheellzd. 'the invention has for a further object to so mountthe wheel body on the hub-'that the part of the bolting-on flange engaged by the securing means may flex axially and thereby assist in holding the securing means from accidental disengagement. i

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is an elevation of a wheel construction showing an embodiment of my invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are cross sections on the lines 2--2 and 3 3, respectively, of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevation of a wheel showing another embodiment of my invention;

Figures 5 and 6 are cross sections on the lines 5-5 and 6-6, respectively, of Figure 4.

Referring to the wheel construction shown in Figures l, 2, and 3, I is the wheel body and 2 the hub. The wheel body is a one-piece sheet metal stamping having the radially inner bolting-an hengel, the radially outer portion 3 for connection to the rim 4, and the lintermediate generally axially extending annular portion 5 connecting thev bolting-on iiange and theradially outer portion. The radially outer portion 3 has the nave portion 6v and the spoke portions 1 extending radially ,outwardly from thenave portion, these spoke portionsliavinga channel section and openfing axially 'nwardiyifand being closed! at their outer ends by heintegral flanges 8 to which the A is 4se'zii'red by 'suitable means, suchfas welding. E The annular portion 5 extends generally axl ially inwardly from the axially outer end of the nave portiong, the arrangement being such that ange 2 is axially offset inwardly 55 relative to the axially outer end of the nave portion and near the median plane of rotation of the t wheel. t

For the purpose of, effectively mounting the wheel body I on the hub 2 andrelieving the part of the bolting-,on flange engaged by the securing means from the greater part of the radial wheel load, the hub 2 is `provided with `the radiallyinner and outer axially and radially spaced` seats `9 and Ill, respectively, and the bolting-on ange is formed to engage these seats radially inwardly and outwardly oi the part engaged by the secur ing means. The radially inner seat 9 is preferably a beveled seat formed upon the barrel of the hub and the radially outer seat I0 is preferably a beveled seat which is formed upon the periphery of the radially fixed flange I I being located axiallyinwardly of the seat 9. The bolting-on iiange is formed with the flexible radially extending part I2 and with the radially inner and outer seating parts I3 and I4, respectively. These latter parts extend generally axially, but are inclined to fit their respective beveled seats. The radially inner part I3 extends generally axially outwardly and radially inwardly, while the radially outer seating part extends generally axially inwardly and radially outwardly from the part I2. The annular portion 5 connects into the radially outer seating part I4 by the return bend I5 forming part of the boltingon liange. The parts are so arranged that the median plane of rotation of the wheel body is near the zone of the seats 9 and I0 and, as shown, passes axially therebetween. The parts are also so arranged that the radially outer seating part I4 engages its seat Ill prior to engagement of the radially inner seating part I3 with its seat 9 while mounting the wheel body upon the hub and that both seats are engaged prior to engagement of the radially extending part I2 with the xed flange II, so that upon further tightening of the securing means, which, as shown, comprises the nuts I6, the radially extending part is flexed axially inwardly, thereby tending to hold the wheel body upon the hub and also serving to prevent accidental disengagement of the nuts from their bolts I1. As shown, the part I2 is formed with the annular series of frusto-conical driving projections I2 for engaging corresponding recesses in the fixed flange I I.

With this construction, a strong substantial wheel is formed having great strength in both axial and radial directions. Also the part of the bolting-on flange engaged by the securing means is relieved of the greater part at least of the wheel load and is free to iiex axially.

of the hub, this flange I'he modification illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 is very similar to that illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and has the same general arrangement of parts for positioning the wheel body with its median plane near the zone of the axially and radially spaced seats of the hub. for transmitting wheel load from the wheel body directly to the hub radially outwardly beyond thepart of the bolting-on ange of the wheel body used in securing the wheel body to the hub and for securing flexibility of this part of the bolting-on Iiange while securing the wheel body to the hub. In this modification, however, the radially outer portion I8 of the wheel body is formed with the angularly spaced openings I9 which are bordered by the generally axially inwardly extending anges 20, the radially innermost of which serve to form the nave portion 2|. With this construction, the parts between the openings in effect are spoke portions 22 of channel section opening axially inwardly. The Wheel body terminates at its outer periphery in the axially inwardly extending ange 23 to which the rim 24 is secured by suitable means, such as the rivets 25.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a'wheel and hub assembly, a sheet metal wheel body Ahaving a radially inner bolting-on iiange provided with bolt openings therethrough and having a radially outer portion for connection to a rim, said bolting-on flange having a flexible radially extending part, an annular portion extending axially rearwardly from the bolting-cn ange vand terminating at the rear edge in an axially forwardly projecting annular portion extending beyond the on flange and connected to the radially outer portion, a hub provided with a radial flange having an annular seat engageable with the axially rearwardly extending portion adjacent the rear end of the latter, and means located within the connes of the axially forwardly extending portion for demountably securing the iiexible radially extending part of the bolting-on ange to the radial flange of the hub.

l 2. In a wheel and hub assembly, a sheet metal Wheel body having a radially inner bolting-on flange provided with bolt openings therethrough and having an axially forwardly extending ange at the radially inner edg'e of the boltingon iiange, said Wheel body also having an annular portion extending axially rearwardly from the bolting-on ange and terminating at the rear edge in an axially forwardly projecting annular portion extending beyond the bolting-on ange and terminating in a radially outwardly extending portion terminating in an axially rearwardly extending rim engaging ange, a hub provided with a radial iiange having an annular seat engageable with the axially rearwardly extending portion adjacent the rear end of the latter and having an annular seat spaced axially forwardly from the annular seat aforesaid for engagement with the axially forwardly extending flange at the inner edge of the bolting-on flange, and a rim secured to said axially rearwardly extending rim engaging flange at points located within a zone defined by radial planes passing through said annular seats.

plane of the bolting- CHARLES W. SINCLAIR. 

